If youâve been here, you know how draining and frustrating that feels. And itâs more than just a pain in the neck. Itâs money and opportunity literally slipping through your fingers.
I heard a story recently from a music supervisor who told me about a promising artist who submitted a track for a big placement opportunity, but the file they sent was the rough demo version - vocals recorded when they had a bad cold and the guitar was out of tune (not to mention the sound of the lawn mower in the background). Face palm moment...
The supervisor had to pass because they couldnât properly evaluate the song, and the artist lost the chance. The artist hadnât realized their files were so disorganized that the wrong version got sent by mistake.
Moments like this can be embarrassing and heartbreaking, but they happen all the time. I also get messages from artists who say they worry about sending the ârightâ version or that they might have forgotten to include important metadata.
That kind of uncertainty can hold you back from even submitting your music or make you look less professional than you really are.
Hereâs the hard truth: if youâre not organized, youâre sending the wrong message.
Industry pros want to work with musicians who are easy to communicate with and can deliver exactly what they need quickly and clearly. When you scramble to find files or canât confirm splits and rights instantly, youâre risking your reputation and your chances for repeat opportunities.
And the financial cost? Thatâs just as real.
If your catalog isnât tracked carefully, you could be losing money every day.
- Missing out on sync deals because you canât respond fast enough.
- Royalty payments stuck in limbo because your splits arenât confirmed or registered properly.
- Delayed payments because you didnât submit paperwork on time or couldnât prove your ownership.
- Sometimes, artists donât even realize how much money is waiting for them that they havenât claimed because the paperwork is a mess.
.But hereâs the good news: being professional with your music admin is a skill you can learn. It doesnât have to be complicated or overwhelming.
Artists who are landing placements, gigs, and partnerships are the ones who have figured out simple systems to keep their catalog organized.
- They know exactly where their final masters live.
- They have folders for each song with every related asset inside.
- They have a consistent way of naming files so they never send the wrong version.
- Their splits are logged and officially agreed on (in writing)
- They keep track of every sync deal, playlist placement, and payment.
When you build these habits, you become the artist who industry folks trust. You get faster responses, better deals, and you stop losing money because youâre on top of your business.
If this feels overwhelming or youâre not sure where to start, donât worry. Weâre going to dive deep into the best systems for organizing your music catalog and managing your admin in our workshop next Thursday.
You can sign up by clicking the button below to learn practical tools and strategies to finally stop leaving money on the table and start showing up like the professional artist you are.
Always in your corner,
â<3 Bree
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